Appendices 209 Appendix (i) Personal safety equipment and first aid Riggers often have to wear helmets, gloves, eye protection, face masks and respirators and steel capped boots to protect themselves from injury. It is the responsibility of your employer to provide the necessary protective equipment. It is the responsibility of riggers to wear and use the equipment properly and where and when necessary. Safety helmets Safety helmets with chin straps must be worn wherever there is a risk of objects falling from above and on any work site where the hard hat sign is displayed. Helmets should comply with AS 1801 Industrial safety helmets. Gloves Riggers should wear close fitting pigskin gloves to protect hands from: • heat and abrasion • molten metal • sharp edges. Special purpose gloves may be required for protection against chemicals including acids, alkalis, solvents, fats and oils. Eye protection Wear eye protection that conforms to AS 1337 Eye protectors for industrial applications if you are likely to be exposed to: • physical damage caused by – flying particles, dust, molten metal • chemical damage caused by – toxic liquids, gases and vapours dusts • radiation damage caused by – sunlight, visible light, infra red, laser. Respiratory protection Riggers should wear a face mask that conforms to AS 1716 Respiratory protective devices if you are likely to be exposed to: • toxic gases and vapours • irritating dusts, such as silica. Inhalation of some chemical vapours and gases can cause death or a wide range of unpleasant symptoms including narcosis and headaches. Common dusts such as silica can cause lung disease later in life and is found wherever there is excavation, ie building sites, road works, tunnelling and mining. 211 Hearing protection Hearing damage is likely if you are exposed to long periods of industrial noise above 85 decibels. This is the noise level of a large truck or loader. A chainsaw for example has a noise level of about 92 decibels. If you think it is likely that you are being exposed to dangerous noise levels ask your employer to provide you with hearing protectors complying with AS 1270 Acoustics – Hearing protectors. Footwear Riggers should be careful to choose footwear which are comfortable, gives maximum grip and provides protection from pinching, jamming and crushing. A range of lightweight flexible boots with steel or plastic caps is available that comply with AS 2210 Safety footwear. Sun protection Riggers spend a great deal of time exposed to direct sunlight. To prevent permanent damage caused by ultra violet rays always wear a hat, long sleeves, long trousers and use UV cream when working outside. First aid Riggers work in a high risk industry. Not only are there many minor injuries but there are also serious injuries where the injured person will need first aid to restore breathing, heart beat or to stem blood flow. Know the location of the first aid room and the nearest first aid kit. There should be a first aid kit on every alternate floor of a multi-storey building site or within 100 metres of any part of the workplace. The standard first-aid symbol in Australia is a white cross on a green background. First-aid kits on construction sites should have a carrying handle. There should be a notice near to the first-aid room with the name(s) of those in the workplace who hold an approved occupational first-aid certificate. It is recommended that riggers take the time to do an approved first-aid certificate course. 212 Appendix (ii) Communication and signals Two way radios An effective means of communication when out of line of sight from the crane operator and other crew members on site is two way radio. It is important that the two way system provides clear and immediate signals without interference. The two types of two way radio are conventional and trunked. For mobile cranes the rigger should stay in line of sight from the crane driver ready to use hand signals if the radio fails. Conventional radio Great care is taken when allocating frequencies to make sure that there are no other operators using the same frequency in the area. It is not possible, however, to control radio users in the field who may be using a frequency in the wrong area. Always use a good quality system from a reputable company with a properly allocated frequency for the area. Interference on your frequency can be a safety hazard. Stop using the system if there is interference, until the system is checked or a new frequency allocated. Trunked radio Trunked radio is a computer controlled two way system that locks other radio users out of your frequency. No other operator can cut in and overpower your signal. With trunked radio it is possible to have several separate groups on one site communicating by radio without interfering with each other. Trunked radio is recommended for large sites. Directions for crane or hoist operators Riggers must give crane or hoist operators clear signals when directing crane movements. The noise of the crane motor and distortion over the radio can make it difficult to hear directions. The following are the standard directions for crane operators: Hook movement ‘Hook up’ and ‘Hook down’ Boom Movement ‘Boom up’ and ‘Boom down’ ‘Boom extend’ and ‘Boom retract’ Slewing ‘Slew left’ and ‘Slew right’ OK to raise ‘All clear’ Do not move ‘Stop’ Speak clearly and say the name of the part of the crane to be moved first – then the direction of movement. 213 214 Appendix (iii) – Areas and volumes Areas Area of a square = length x width For example: 2m x 2m = 4 square metres Area of a rectangle = length x width For example: 2m x 5m = 10 square metres Area of a circle = diameter2 x .79 For example: 3m x 3m x .79 = 7.1 square metres 215 Area of a triangle = base x height ÷ 2 For example: 3m x 3m ÷ 2 = 4.5 square metres Volumes Volume of a cube = length x height x width For example: 3m x 3m x 3m = 27 cubic metres Volume of a rectangular solid = length x height x width For example: 2m x 4m x 6m = 48 cubic metres 216 Volume of a cone or pyramid = area of base x height ÷ 3 For example (pyramid): 2m x 2m x 1.5m ÷ 3 = 2 cubic metres For example (cone): 3m x 3m x .79 x 4m ÷ 3 = 9.5 cubic metres Volume of a sphere = diameter3 x 0.53 For example: 3m x 3m x 3m x 0.53 = 14.3 cubic metres 217 Calculating the weight of a load To calculate the weight of a load, if it is unknown, you must multiply the volume of the load by the unit weight of the material. For example: A rectangular stack of hardwood 3 metres long – 1 metre high – 0.5 metre across. Volume of rectangular solid = length x width x height 3m x 1m x 0.5m = 1.5 cubic metres Unit weight of hardwood is 1120kgs per cubic metre 1.5 x 1120 = 1680 Therefore the total weight of the load is 1680kgs. 218 Appendix (iv) – Tables of masses Acid (crated maximum) 200kg Galvanised flat iron 0.5mm sheet Ale, beer, 160 litre 250kg 1.8m x 90mm 7kg Aluminium, cu m 2.7t Glass, 1Omm thick, sq metre 27kg Aluminium ingot 5-15kg Granite, cu m 2.6t Asbestos cement sheet, plain, 2m x 1m 18kg Grease (44 gal) 200 litre 200kg Ashes, coal, cu m 800kg Gypsum, cu m 2.3t Asphalt, 200 litre, drum 200kg Gypsum, 1 bag 50kg Barbed wire, coil 50kg Hardwood (see Timber) Blue metal, cu m 2.0t Hermatic ore, cu m 5.4t Beer (see Ale) Hemp, bale 300kg Bitumen, 200 litre, drum 200kg Ice, cu m 930kg Bolts, various, bag 50kg Iron, cast m 7.25t Brass, cu m 8.5t Iron, ore, cu m 5.4t Bricks, common, 1,000 4t Bronze, cu m 8.5t Jute, bale 150kg Cast iron, cu m 7.2t Kerosene (44 gal) 200 litre 200kg Cast steel, cu m 7.9t Clay, cu m 1.9t Lead, cu m 11.4t Cement, 1 bag small 20kg Lead, 3mm thick, sq m 34kg Cement, 1 bag large 40kg Lead, pig or ingot 36kg Coal, 1 cu m 864kg Lime (stone), 12 bags 1t Concrete, cu m 2.4t Lime (stone), cu m 2.6t Copper, cu m 9.0t Lime, hydrated, 1 bag 22kg Copper, 3mm thick, sq m 27kg Nails, case 50kg Doors, 50 1t Netting, wire 1m roll, 50m 25kg Dog spikes, 100 50kg Oils, all types (44 gal drum) 200 litre 200kg Drums, empty 200 litre 13kg Paint (except red and white lead) 4 litre 0.4kg Earth, 1 cu m 1.9t Palings, H.W. 1.5m sawn, 400 1t Fat, tallow, etc (44 gal barrels) 200 litre 200kg Palings, H.W. 2m sawn, 360 1t Fencing wire, coil 50kg Particle board 18mm thick, sq metre 12kg Fibrous plaster, sq m 9kg Petrol (44 gal) 200 litre 200kg Fibre board, sq m 0.6kg Pig iron 50kg Fibro cement sheets – Pipes – Flat – Stoneware – 4.5mm thick, sq metre 7kg 100mm 55m 1t 6mm thick, sq metre 11kg 150mm 32m 1t Corrugated – 225mm 20m 1t standard, sq metre 11kg 300mm 15m 1t deep corrugations, sq metre 12kg Cast iron, 3.6m long, lined – Compressed – 80mm nominal inside dia 18kg/m 15mm thick, sq metre 26kg 100mm pipe 28kg/m Fish bolts, 24mm dia 1kg 150mm pipe 54kg/m Fish plates, 4-hole 13kg 200mm pipe 84kg /m Fish plates, 6-hole 18kg 225mm pipe 115kg/m 219 300mm pipe 148kg/m Sand, beach, dry, 1 cu m 2.0t Steel, galvanised – Sand, beach, wet, 1 cu m 2.3t 8 N.B.0.D.